Jimmer Fredette scored 17 points and fellow rookie Isaiah Thomas had 15 to lead Sacramento as the Kings' reserves got extended minutes with Memphis leading by double digits for a bulk of the second half. Former University of Kentucky star DeMarcus Cousins, who missed the Kings' last game because the team said he repeatedly had requested a trade, started this one on the bench. He scored four points and grabbed eight rebounds in 22 minutes.

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Before the game, Coach Paul Westphal said of the Cousins situation, "I wouldn't say it's resolved. We will see how it plays out. I think DeMarcus has to continue to show maturity and a desire to go the same direction as his teammates. We're all hoping that happens."

■ Luol Deng's layup with 3.7 seconds to play lifted the Chicago Bulls to a 76-74 victory over the visiting Atlanta Hawks. Derrick Rose scored 17 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter to rally the Bulls from a 19-point deficit.

College football

Clemson freshman worries West Virginia

Clemson freshman Sammy Watkins could line up in several spots Wednesday night in the Orange Bowl. No matter where he goes, he's sure to draw plenty of attention from West Virginia.

Watkins set a school record with 1,153 yards receiving this season and helped the Tigers earn their first major bowl berth in 30 years. He became only the third true freshman to be selected a first-team All-American, joining Herschel Walker and Adrian Peterson.

Watkins, 18, finished the year with 12 scores, 77 receptions, 229 yards rushing and a kickoff return average of 26.3.

"They do really a great job of getting him the football in a bunch of different ways," West Virginia defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel said. "Obviously they're going to throw him the ball, but he'll get it as a running back, and they're going to screen him. They'll throw the ball down the field, and he goes up and gets it. But his speed and athleticism are what probably separates him."

■ Terry Bowden picked one of his dad's former assistants to help him revive Akron. Bowden named former North Carolina State coach Chuck Amato as his defensive coordinator and associate head coach. Amato, who took the Wolfpack to five bowl games from 2000-06, spent 21 seasons on Bobby Bowden's staff at Florida State.

■ Tennessee Coach Derek Dooley said Tuesday that he's willing to allow freshman wide receiver DeAnthony Arnett to transfer to Michigan State or Michigan to be close to his ailing father. Dooley had come under fire from fans for initially holding the Saginaw, Mich., native to the same policy he applies to any player seeking a transfer. That policy is to limit players from transferring to schools the Volunteers play or compete against for recruits. Arnett was among the top 10 wide receiver prospects nationally in 2011 and caught 24 passes for 242 yards and two TDs last season.

■ Rutgers junior wide receiver Mohamed Sanu will enter the NFL Draft after a breakout season with the Scarlet Knights. Sanu, who shattered Big East and Rutgers single-season records for receptions this season, finished the year with 115 catches, 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Sanu is a potential first-round pick, although a deep receiver class became a little deeper Monday, after Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon declared for the draft after the Fiesta Bowl.

■ Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox has decided to enter the NFL Draft. The 6-foot-4, 295-pound junior from Yazoo City, Miss., had 56 tackles this season, including 14½ tackles for a loss and five sacks. He was named the SEC defensive lineman of the week four times and was named to the AP's All-SEC first team.

■ Brandon Weeden threw for 399 yards and three touchdowns to Justin Blackmon in their final collegiate game, leading No. 3 Oklahoma State to a 41-38 overtime win against Andrew Luck and No. 4 Stanford in a wildly entertaining Fiesta Bowl late Monday.

Obituary

Former UCLA, UAB coach Bartow dies

Gene Bartow, who succeeded John Wooden at UCLA and later began UAB's athletic program, has died, UAB officials said. He was 81.

Bartow, who was the president of the company that owns the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies and FedEx Forum, died Tuesday evening at his home in Birmingham, Ala., after a battle with stomach cancer.

"Coach Bartow is a beloved figure in college basketball and in the lives of many players and fans," UAB Athletics Director Brian Mackin said in a statement. "He was a great man and dedicated leader who set a standard of excellence for UAB athletics."

The school had been preparing for Saturday's Bartow Classic, a basketball game between UAB and Memphis that raises money for the Coach Gene Bartow Fund for Cancer Research. He was diagnosed with stomach cancer in April 2009.

Bartow was one of the winningest NCAA Division I basketball coaches, with 647 wins over 34 seasons. He was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009, and UAB renamed its basketball arena in his honor in 1997.

He succeeded John Wooden as UCLA's coach in 1976 and led the Bruins to the Final Four but left after two seasons to start Alabama-Birmingham's program, expanding it under his tenure as athletics director to feature 17 sports. As UAB's basketball coach from 1978-96, he led the Blazers to seven straight NCAA Tournament appearances. He retired as athletics director in 2000.

baseball

DeJesus named to manage Legends

The Lexington Legends' next manager will need no introduction to Whitaker Bank Ballpark. Former major-leaguer Ivan DeJesus, who managed the Legends in 2004, will be in charge in 2012.

DeJesus had been with the Chicago Cubs for the past five years, three as a special assistant to manager Lou Piniella (2007-09). He began the 2010 season as first base coach and shifted to third base after Mike Quade was named the Cubs' manager in 2010.

Pitching coach Dave Borkowski will return for a second season in Lexington, and Josh Bonifay will join the Legends' staff as hitting coach. Grant Hufford returns as trainer.

Rodney Linares, who managed the Legends the past two seasons, was named the manager at Lancaster, the Astros' Class A Advanced affiliate in the California League.

Swimming

Tennessee coach fired for misconduct

Longtime Tennessee men's swimming and diving coach John Trembley has been fired for "gross misconduct."

Tennessee Athletics Director Dave Hart announced Tuesday that he had relieved the 23-year Volunteers coach of his duties but did not specify what kind of misconduct led to the termination.

Trembley, 59, was named Southeastern Conference swimming coach of the year in 2011, the sixth time he's received the honor. He received $100,000 as an annual base salary and additional pay for broadcast appearances and endorsements.

The last word

Should Alabama knock off top-ranked LSU in next week's BCS Championship game, Fiesta Bowl winner Oklahoma State will be right there, ready to stake its claim at being No. 1 in The Associated Press poll. Said Justin Blackmon, a projected first-round NFL pick who tied the Fiesta Bowl record with his three touchdowns:

"There is nothing we can do from here. I do think we do have the best team in the nation."